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Audi Q5

Comments

Thanks crossover1 - note, though, that I currently own an X5, not an X3, and my indecision is between a Q5 and a 2010 X3, not the current X3, which I think is hideous! :-)I am now leaning towards waiting til early next year, so I will have definitive info on the 2010 X3 AND the 2010 Q5...Thoughts?

I have had the Q5 Prestige for a month and I think that there is a serious design issue with the gearbox. When you start moving from stop, the gear quickly switches from 1st to 2nd and if you are still pressing hard, the gear gets stuck in 2nd. You have to lift off and try again gently before the gear switches up to 3rd, but then it will go straight to 6th and stays in high gear even though you are just crusing along at 20-25mph.. I live in a small town where there is a lot of start/stop traffic between 5mph to 30mph. I think the car performs poorly in these conditions. One certain flaw is when you are stopped at a left turn then start to take the turn the gear will not change up to 2nd no matter how much you push the accelerator paddle. You have to again lift off and press again gently to get proper gear changes. The car handles badly IMO on small city/town roads. Alas when i test-drove, it was of course on a quite country lanes with no traffic. My wife really liked how it looked and that was a major factor in the purchase. We are both regretting the purchase.

Our previous SUV was the X5 3.0i...IMO the X5 is head and shoulders above the Q5 in terms of ride & handling. The X5 rode like a sports car, the Q5 has a big, heavy, sluggish feel to it. Both have great interiors. Contrary to popular opinion, the Audi MMI is not that much more user-friendly than the X5 i-Drive.I never drove the X3 but I am assuming that it will have a better ride/handling than the Q5, but has a dated styling and needs a refresh. I would wait for 2010 X3 before jumping for the Q5.

My owner's manual shows those handy under-the-seat storage trays in the front seats but my new Q5 doesn't have them. Dealer claims he knows nothing about the trays. Any of you other owners have these trays or are they missing?

I have owned the Q5 for 3 weeks, and it is fun, fun, fun! In sport mode it drives like a sport sedan. Nothing like the MDX that I still own. The MMI system takes time to learn and understand, however, the easy voice commands are fantastic. The driver information system on the front panel is easy to read.. The free traffic reports and dynamic routing NAV system is better than any car or Garmin GPS that I have ever used. I wish the car came with a bumper to bumper warranty, as I have been reading the Q7's have frequent (every 15-20.000 miles) need for brake pads and rotor changes. I hope that since the Q5 is 900 lbs lighter than the Q7, the brakes/rotors will last at least 35,000 miles, as they are not a warranty item. Only time will tell if the Q5's quality will set a new higher standard for Audi. In the meantime, the Q5 is off to a great start! It blows the X3, Volvo XC60, Acura RDX, and Lexus RX away!

I've been trying to decide between a '10 Q5 Prestige Plus and an '09 MDX (base). I can get a pretty good deal on an MDX right now. I really like the Q5, but am a little concerned that it might be too small (I currently drive a GMC Acadia, which is huge). I previously drove an '02 MDX, and liked it a lot. Have you looked at the current generation MDXs? I'm interested in your thoughts about these two vehicles.

We just bought an MDX three months ago and have a Q5 on order. It is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. The MDX is quite a bit larger than the Q5 - lots of storage space, huge trunk area and third row seats if you need them. The Q5 is lacking in storage space up front in particular, and has a much smaller trunk area. The middle row also feels more cramped to me in the Q5 than the MDX. We have the MDX for the wife who does most of the hauling of the kids, and the Q5 is for me and will be primarily just front row seating. BTW, we LOVE the MDX - it is an outstanding car, great nav, fun to drive and tons of space.

I have, I negotiated and purchased my parents '09 MDX. Its an excellent car. But I have had two an '03 and and '04I stopped in and looked at the Q5 Friday. Its obvious not as big as the MDX but larger than the RDX which I liked. The MDX has always been one of the widest SUVs in its class. The new MDX is very nice don't get me wrong, and it a great value, but I prefer my '04 in many areas, ride/interior size/exterior looks. Its not enough for me to sell my '04 and get a'10. Just more of the same in a uglier body.The Q5 now, WOW it looks stunning. You give up size to the MDX but no one uses the MDX third row anyway. The Q5 just looks AWESOME. The dual sunroofs have some serious cool factor. The navigation looks nice, although small. I must say I use the nav on the MDX all the time and is ultra easy. The Q5 looked user friendly when the guy showed it to me.I have not driven the Q5 yet, as I haven't been given the go ahead to purchase yet. If I can get navigation and dual sunroofs for under $44k I'd be very happy but it might be out of budget.The MDX can be had at that fully loaded but its much more car.If you need size go with the MDX you will love it. There is not many minuses on the Acuras in my opinion.Matt

I just picked up a new 2009 q5 premium plus (left over). Has anyone had any experience with the car jerking when almost at a stop? And then jerk a bit again when just starting to accelerate? It is slight, but it is annoying. Wonder if there is a problem or if Audis are known for this. It is my first. I also find if I take my foot off the brake to inch up, I jerk a little again, only for it to happen one more time when I accelerate. I also find it a bit slow on pick up, but once I get over 10-15 mph, its has a lot of power.

I am hoping it is just me. I would hate to think there is a problem with a day old car. But knowing my luck.....

After filling up the tank the first time, I noticed louder and louder road (also engine) noise of my Q5. Is this normal? I clearly remember that i filled up with the premium grade 93 in a BP station.what kind of gas should we use in the Q5

According to the info near the gas cap, a minimum of 91 octane is "recommended". I fill with 93 as well, as there is no such thing as 91 in NY...at least not that I have seen (we have 87, 89 and 93). Try a different gas station. Check out this link.

I had a similar experience w/ my new Q5. People kept telling me this would stop after the break in period. After the first two months this jerking stopped, the slow down and accelerating have become very smooth.

Hmm. That is good to hear. I actually brought my Q5 into service. They had to so a software update on it. The jerking has improved. My car will be two weeks old on Thurs, so I will see where I am at in 2 months. Thanks very much for your reply!!! I still feel a little, though it is dramatically better than it was before.

I am considering moving from my 2006 A6 4.2 to a new Q5. I have driven a Premium Plus with the 18" wheels and liked the vehicle. Overall though I prefer the Prestige or an SLine which have the 19" or 20" wheels. I did not plan to get Drive Select. Problem is I can not find one Prestige or SLine at any of the South Fla dealers to test drive. The larger tires should improve handling but I am concerned about what they would do to the ride quality.

Any Prestige or SLine owners out there have any ride input they could share?

I'm thinking about the Q5......One BIG problem...When you parallel park on the street and someone, either in front of you or behind you, is trying to get out of their spot. If it is a 'TIGHT" spot, many of people (not myself of course) will go forward and backward till they tap you. When they "THINK" they have cleared you, they will proceed to pull out. If they misjudged, they will "of course" rub up against, or bang against, or scrape up against one of the four corners of your bumpers. Well here-in lies the problem. Audi has decided to place lights and light lenses exactly as those vulnerable spots. I "betcha" these lights are a stock item they keep at the Audi parts dept., and I "betcha" it sure ain't cheap to replace. Can you say "Design Flaw". I may have to start thing about the Infinity FX35 now as I don't want to be back and forth with this issue.....Any thoughts people?????????

I know the above are not all in the same league but I like their looks and what they offer for their price. I am also considering the following:

8. Audi A3 TDi Diesel9. Subaru Impreza Outback Sport10. Volvo V70

Any ideas on any of these? Which has the best reliability? I don't want to be spending hundreds of dollars in repairs or have the car be in the shop with the service dealers unable to figure out what is going wrong and me left without a car to drive. This is the primary reason why I want to buy a new car - great reliability.

If your No. 1 concern is great reliability and low maintainance costs over many years, and you intend to own your vehicle beyond the warranty period, I would cross off all of the European vehicles on your list. That said, IMO the most desirable choice would be the Audi Q5, but only if you keep the car within the warranty period. I love the looks, performance, handling, winter traction and interior craftsmanship that Audi's give you, but they are expensive to maintain when the warranty expires (I've owned two of them). But I think most would agree that the same advice applies to Mercedes, BMW's and Volvo's, in general. If you're frugal, and plan to keep your vehicle for many years, look to the Japanese makes.

A reporter is looking to speak with someone who bought a new small luxury SUV (like a X3, Q5 and RX 350) recently. If you are interested in sharing your story, please respond to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, February 29, 2012. Please send your contact info, the name of the make/model you bought and a few examples of models that you also considered.

I currently own a '10 Q5, and I thought I shared my experience with the car since I'd taken delivery of it--about 2 years ago.First and foremost, I have to say, I like this car a lot. Great handling, and immaculate interior are just to name a few.

That being said, there's a huge disappointment, a down-side, if you will. The rear seat shudders.Now, it does not affect the safety of the vehicle, but it's annoying enough. Within the 2 years--1 year and 9 months to be exact--I'd brought it back to the dealership for the same problem for 7 times. From shuddering, the rear seat started to squeak. After my last visit, it came to square one. Squeaking noise is gone, but shuddering is still there.The technician that had helped me told me the rear frame of the Q5's are to blame. He told me the rear seat is going to shudder and there's nothing they could do about it.Moreover, he'd told me that Audi had recently re-designed the frame which lessened the shudder, but it's still going to be there. I'm coming home and thinking, 'I'd paid more than $50,000 on a car, it should be better than this.' Even cars that cost less than half the Q5 don't shudder.

Come to think of it, I should have exercised the Lemon Law and made Audi buy back the car when I'd had the chance. Now I'm stuck with a car that shudders in the rear seat. What cost me about $55,000 is worth about $30,000--according to the dealer's offer. Honestly, I don't know what to do with it anymore. I'm sick and tired of bringing it back and forth between home and the dealership--about 40 miles away. What's worse is that when my warranty expires, I'll either have to learn to live with the annoying noise from the back, or pay a lump of money trying to fix it.

Many friends and my wife have the 2010 Q5.......hers is the Prestise Plus (loaded).

Has never had a rattle or anything that would cause her to bring it in for service other than the required oil change and scheduled maintenance. She had 3 RS 350's and got the Audi and a 2012 GLK in FL. She said she would take the Q5 over all of them.

Now after saying that, she will get a new car this summer and we will be getting her an A6. After all the years with SUV's....it's time for a sedan.

Now my A8L............no better car on the road in that price range, not even the S550 which I was not impressed.

Looks like a great list. I've owned a Volvo V70 for five years now and have had no trouble at all. I've found the routine maintenance to be reasonable ($550 for the 60K) and would buy a Volvo again in a heartbeat!

I have this every once in a while. It is very very disconcerting. I also have a lag when trying to acelerate from a stop. ... also rarely..

So these are unpredictable which makes it all the worse. The stopping issue is really jarring. I always get a comment from any passengers. I have seen other mention of this online.

I mentioned it to the audi dealer and of course they saw nothing on the first service. I think it is due to having 8 speeds.. I think this is overrated for engineering. I think the transmission is not very good.

You get very powerful acceleration sometimes... hard to predict when...other times it is moderate. then you get that lag... Then you get the jolt when it stops.

I am not loving this car. Overpriced due to refinement..but I don't find it so refined. Finally getting used to the combersome controls... still not great. Wish it had streaming of bluetooth sounds other than phone. ( A2DP). You get that in inexpensive fords..

I had the same problem with my 2010 Q5. The difference was my dealership replaced the rear seat frame under warranty - no questions asked, end of issue. I agree with you that when we pay this amount for a vehicle there should not be an issue or it should get fixed.